[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 128 (Wednesday, July 5, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38136-38137]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-10463]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 062606A]


Endangered Species; File Nos. 1079-1828, 1053-1825, 1095-1837

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Notice; receipt of applications for permits.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the following three individuals 
have applied in due form for permits for scientific research on marine 
mammals: Peter M. Scheifele, MD(r), Ph.D, University of Connecticut, 
Department of Animal Science, Bioacoustics and Neuroaudiology, 3636 
Horsebarn Hill Road Ext., Unit 4040, Storrs, CT 06269 (File No. 1079-
1828); David Mann, Ph.D., College of Marine Science, The University of 
South Florida, College of Marine Science, 140 Seventh Avenue South, St. 
Petersburg, FL 33701 (File No. 1053-1825); and Dorian S. Houser, Ph.D., 
Biomimetica, 7951 Shantung Drive, Santee, CA 92071 (File No. 1095-
1837).

DATES: Written, telefaxed, or e-mail comments on these applications 
must be received on or before August 4, 2006.

ADDRESSES: The applications and related documents are available for 
review upon written request or by appointment (See SUPPLEMENTARY 
INFORMATION).
    Written comments or requests for a public hearing on this 
application should be mailed to the Chief, Permits, Conservation and 
Education Division, F/PR1, Office of Protected Resources, NMFS, 1315 
East-West Highway, Room 13705, Silver Spring, MD 20910. Those 
individuals requesting a hearing should set forth the specific reasons 
why a hearing on a particular request would be appropriate.
    Comments may also be submitted by facsimile at (301)427-2521, 
provided the facsimile is confirmed by hard copy submitted by mail and 
postmarked no later than the closing date of the comment period.
    Comments may also be submitted by e-mail. The mailbox address for 
providing e-mail comments is [email protected]. Include in the 
subject line of the e-mail comment the appropriate document identifier: 
File No. 1079-1828, 1053-1825, or 1095-1837.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Andrew Wright or Amy Sloan, (301)713-
2289

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The subject permits are requested under the 
authority of the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, as amended (16 
U.S.C. 1361 et seq.), the regulations governing the taking and 
importing of marine mammals (50 CFR part 216), the Endangered Species 
Act of 1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), and the regulations 
governing the taking, importing, and exporting of endangered and 
threatened species (50 CFR 222-227).
    All three applicants are all seeking permits to conduct hearing 
measurements on either permanently captive marine mammals, or those 
that are stranded, entrapped, or in a rehabilitation center. Marine 
mammals use sound for communication in a number of behaviors critical 
to survival and reproduction. Results of this work would increase our 
knowledge of the abilities of marine mammals to perceive natural sounds 
and variations in those sounds, and improve our understanding of how 
anthropogenic sounds affect them in order to facilitate their 
conservation. These types of recordings are routinely used to measure 
the hearing of other animals, including human infants, and do not 
represent a risk to the marine mammals.
    File No. 1079-1828: Dr. Scheifele seeks a 5-year permit to use 
auditory evoked potential recordings with non-invasive suction cup 
sensors on up to 15 individuals of certain species of cetaceans in the 
U.S. (see application for specific cetacean species and stocks 
requested) and subdermal needle electrodes on up to 15 each of harbor 
seals (Phoca vitulina), gray seals (Halichoerus grypus), and harp seals 
(Phoca groenladica). The research would be conducted on stranded and 
public display animals held at Mystic Aquarium and Institute for 
Exploration, Mystic, CT.
    File No. 1053-1825: Dr. Mann seeks a 5-year permit to use auditory 
evoked

[[Page 38137]]

potential recordings with non-invasive suction cup sensors on up to 15 
individuals of any species of cetaceans in the U.S. The research would 
be conducted on stranded animals in the field or at a rehabilitation 
center.
    File No. 1095-1837: Dr. Houser seeks a 5-year permit to use 
auditory evoked potential recordings with non-invasive suction cup 
sensors on up to 15 individuals of any species of cetaceans in the U.S. 
The research would be conducted on stranded or accidentally entrapped 
animals in the field or at a rehabilitation center.
    Concurrent with the publication of this notice in the Federal 
Register, NMFS is forwarding copies of these applications to the Marine 
Mammal Commission and its Committee of Scientific Advisors.

Documentation

    The applications and related documents are available for review 
upon written request or by appointment in the following office(s):
    All documents: Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office 
of Protected Resources, NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Room 13705, 
Silver Spring, MD 20910; phone (301)713-2289; fax (301)427-2521; and
    Northeast Region, NMFS, One Blackburn Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930-
2298; phone (978)281-9300; fax (978)281-9394;
    File Nos. 1053-1825 and 1095-1837: Northwest Region, NMFS, 7600 
Sand Point Way NE, BIN C15700, Bldg. 1, Seattle, WA 98115-0700; phone 
(206)526-6150; fax (206)526-6426;
    Alaska Region, NMFS, P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802-1668; phone 
(907)586-7221; fax (907)586-7249;
    Southwest Region, NMFS, 501 West Ocean Blvd., Suite 4200, Long 
Beach, CA 90802-4213; phone (562)980-4001; fax (562)980-4018;
    Pacific Islands Region, NMFS, 1601 Kapiolani Blvd., Rm 1110, 
Honolulu, HI 96814-4700; phone (808)973-2935; fax (808)973-2941; and
    Southeast Region, NMFS, 263 13th Ave South, St. Petersburg, FL 
33701; phone (727)824-5312; fax (727)824-5309.

    Dated: June 29, 2006.
Tammy C. Adams,
Acting Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of 
Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E6-10463 Filed 7-3-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S